sanjay1

So I'm booked on a first-class itenerary from BEG - CDG - JFK on Air France. I booked the trip using continental one pass miles. My layover in CDG is from 3pm to 10:30AM the next day. I'd like to go into the city, but I'd love to avoid paying for a room anywhere (or if anybody has inexpensive options)? Right now the plan is to get off my flight, perhaps get a fast meal in one of the lounges, and then go straight into the city. Ideally I can find activities to keep me busy until quite late and then ideally come back to the airport and sleep in the lounge and take a shower before my flight. I believe Air France will hold my bags in transit to JFK and I'll just keep a day pack with me.

So I have a few questions which I've outlined below.


1. What are the hours for the lounges? Which ones do I have access to as a first-class continental awards customer? Are any open 24 hours that I could crash in early in the morning?

2. I've been to Paris twice before and the major highlights. Anybody have any suggestions for places to check out for an afternoon? What about the evening?

3. What are my transport option into the airport late at night? I'm assuming the metro shuts down.

4. Anybody done this before? Any advice?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Supersonic Swinger

This site doesn't seem to be responding at the moment, but it has a lot of tips on spending an overnight for free at an airport (comfort generally not assured) - http://www.sleepinginairports.net

JOUY31

Some information:
1. if you booked your flights using CO miles, you are booked in business class, not in first class
2. on intra-European flights, AF lounges can only be used upon departures, so no access to a lounge upon arrival on a BEG-CDG leg
3. the cheapest hotel is usually the Ibis, 5mn away from CDG2 with the CDGVAL automated shuttle train; you can usually have a room payable per hour, for a minimum of two hours, but not after 6PM.

sanjay1

I think you're right about it being business and not first. Why does the CO website call it "first"?

Since I'd be on transit between BEG and JFK, would I have access to the lounge? Or how many hours before my CDG - JFK leg would I have access?

Do you know where I can find the hours for the lounges? I can't seem to find anything on their website.

THANKS!

sbm12

There is an arrivals lounge, too, though I do not know the hours nor whether it is strictly for long-haul arrivals. But it is outside security and offers showers and light snacks when I've passed through.
Because they are "interpreting" the fare codes and that barely works at all on their site for CO metal, much less for partner metal.

jms_uk

Once I spent a night in "transfer/transit" area of 2E [due to my crappy serbian passport and a lack of Schengen visa] and one of the fellow sufferers was a Chinese businessman who was travelling in C. He got kicked out of the lounge at 11pm. And I think they don't open it again until 5, or even 6am.

Here is the info for RER B into Paris - also no service between ~midnight and ~5am.

JOUY31

Unfortunately for the OP, it is strictly for long-haul arrivals.